Winner of $30.5 Million Mega Millions Jackpot Claims Prize

Drawing Date: 10/16/2012

A 22-year-old Hyannis, Massachusetts, man today stepped forward to claim the $30.5 million jackpot that he won in last night’s multi-state Mega Millions game.

Sandeep Singh, who goes by the nickname “Sunny,” bought one of the two winning tickets sold nationwide that matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball (13-37-40-46-52, MB 29) selected in the Tuesday, October 16 Mega Millions drawing to split the game’s $61 million prize. The other winning ticket was sold to a lucky lottery player in Fresno, California.

Singh arrived at the Lottery’s Braintree headquarters late this afternoon with his mother, sister and niece to claim the prize and elected to receive his $30.5 million half of the jackpot in a one-time, lump sum payment of approximately $23 million. After taxes, Singh’s prize check will amount to $16.1 million.

Singh and his family purchased a total of five quic pic tickets at AM/PM Convenience located at 489 Bearses Way in Hyannis. He said they often play Mega Millions, as well as the Lottery’s other multi-state game Powerball, and knew they had a winning ticket shortly after the drawing was held last night and the game results were posted on masslottery.com.

Singh currently holds two jobs working as a teller at a local bank and as a salesperson at a box retailer. He indicated that he is committed to working at the bank until the end of the fiscal quarter in December and will give the retailer two week’s notice before ending his employment. Singh plans to buy his family a house and hopes to go back to college soon.

Paresh Patel, the owner of AM/PM Market in Hyannis where the winning ticket was purchased, will also benefit from his customer’s win with a $50,000 commission check – the highest retailer commission paid by the Massachusetts Lottery. 

The last time a Massachusetts player won a Mega Million jackpot was on August 19, 2011, when Dorchester resident Candido Oliveira won a $32 million jackpot in the multi-state game. Oliveira selected the cash option on the jackpot prize and received a one-time, lump sum payment of approximately $22.2 million, or $15.5 million after taxes.

Mega Millions tickets are $1.00 and can be played at any of the Massachusetts Lottery’s 7,400 licensed retailers across the state. In addition to Massachusetts, Mega Millions is played in 41 states, Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are held Tuesday and Friday in Atlanta and broadcast locally via the Lottery’s website – masslottery.com. Drawing videos and game results can also be viewed on the Lottery’s official Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts.

For more information on Mega Millions or any of the Massachusetts Lottery’s games, visit: www.masslottery.com.